SACCHARIN
CHAPTER 20

 

I was grateful that he was returning my belongings, but given the situation, I couldn’t bring myself to say anything nice. Instead, I masked my embarrassment with a grumpy tone.

“These were mine to begin with. You’re the thief.”

“Why do you keep making such a fuss, huh?”

As if putting rings on my left hand wasn’t enough, he started slipping them onto my right as well, from my index finger down to my ring finger. Seeing a total of six rings on my hands was almost ridiculous.

I stayed still, unsure of what Shin Chi-woo was trying to do next. Then, he reached for my necklace. When he moved to put it on me, I shook my head and firmly refused.

“Don’t. Just keep the necklace for yourself.”

“I prefer simple things.”

Instead of keeping it, he slipped the necklace into my jacket pocket—the same one holding the phone.

And as if to make sure I noticed, his fingers deliberately tapped against the phone inside.

He was acting.

The short-haired woman might not have realized it, but the captain and crew outside might not be on Shin Chi-woo’s side.

There could even be hidden cameras or listening devices in this cabin.

That would explain why he had to act this way toward me.

Fine. If I thought of this as just reading lines from a script, it wasn’t that big of a deal.

I understood my position well enough to know that I couldn’t ask him to speak kindly to me.

So, I tried to endure it.

I was still furious at Shin Chi-woo for keeping the island a secret, but he had lured me in again with the phone.

“This kind of jewelry isn’t worth much. Once you’re in the factory, you’ll need this more. Use it as a bribe.”

“You thief. Your pockets must have been heavy carrying my stuff around.”

“That’s why I’m returning it.”

This time, he pulled out a watch and fastened it onto my wrist.

I let out a bitter chuckle, but I knew that bribe was the key word in this performance.

Then he started pushing the limits even further.

He could have kept it subtle, but his words were getting more and more blatant, leaving me speechless.

“Was what I did earlier not enough? Why are you so irritated?”

“…What?”

“Should I do it again?”

He meant my neck—but it was clear how the words could be taken differently.

We hadn’t done anything explicit, yet the way he said it made me feel like I was staining myself even further.

I hated how easily I blushed at these things.

How much further did I have to go to survive?

Was life something I had to protect even if it meant dirtying my own dignity?

Even if Shin Chi-woo felt some guilt over this situation, it didn’t erase the damage his words inflicted.

“…Don’t say things like that….”

“Deputy Cha, step outside for a moment. She’s embarrassed.”

My face burned red as I glanced at the short-haired woman standing nearby.

She must have heard everything. But when I met her eyes, she quickly looked away.

That meant one thing—whatever happened to me, she wouldn’t step in to help.

“Yes, sir. I’ll wait outside.”

“Tell them not to depart yet. Just wait a little longer.”

“Yes.”

The short-haired woman—Deputy Cha—cast me a brief glance before nodding to Shin Chi-woo and exiting the cabin.

The look on her face made it obvious—she assumed we were about to do it again.

“…Fuck.”

Finally, it was just the two of us.

But since the boat was small, the cabin wasn’t completely enclosed.

There was a window of reinforced glass, meaning whatever we did inside could still be seen from outside.

However, the engine was running loudly enough that if we spoke quietly, no one would hear us.

Still, I hoped Shin Chi-woo had heard the curse I just muttered.

It was meant for him.

“Aren’t you tired of crying?”

“Hhk—fuck…”

If he didn’t know how to comfort someone, he should’ve just kept his mouth shut. It was already unbearable enough to survive this far, and now, humiliation came crashing down like a storm. My emotions, barely held together, finally gave way, and the tears burst forth again.

“I know you’re crying because of me, but thanks to that, you still have all your limbs intact.”

I didn’t respond, just continued sniffling and sobbing. I could sense that Shin Chi-woo was slightly taken aback. So, I deliberately cried even louder, wiping my tears with both hands and wailing exaggeratedly.

“I know it’s hard, but try to endure it a little longer.”

“Hhhk….”

“No, never mind. Just cry it out.”

“Mom… Hhngh… Dad….”

“No, actually, stop crying.”

I must have sounded utterly miserable because Shin Chi-woo now seemed genuinely frustrated. Eventually, unable to stand watching me anymore, he lowered himself until our eyes were level.

His expression was still cold and unreadable, but there was something in his gaze—an unmistakable trace of concern.

“How do you think I feel when you keep crying like this?”

“…Don’t.”

“Then stop.”

“Move your hand.”

“You’ve already cried, might as well wipe it off.”

I felt his fingers brush my cheek, attempting to wipe away my tears again. I swatted his hand away, but he was persistent, stubbornly dabbing at my damp face.

“You could’ve at least warned me that the factory was on an island.”

“You’re not being sold, the factory just happens to be on an island.”

“Still, a heads-up would’ve been nice.”

“If you didn’t know, then I wouldn’t have gotten such a strong reaction out of you.”

At this point, I was sure everyone—the chairman, the bodyguard, the short-haired woman, the captain, and the crew—had fully bought into this act.

The irony was almost laughable.

To deceive the enemy, he had tricked even me, his supposed ally.

What exactly was he aiming for? What kind of vision was he chasing that required setting up this elaborate game?

I didn’t want to be a piece on his chessboard, yet somehow, I had already become one, moving according to his plan.

“Director Seo was a good man.”
A missing father.

A chairman hunting him down.

And an enigmatic man standing between them.

Somehow, I had gotten tangled up in this mess, and now, there was no going back.

I was already advancing across the board, one step at a time.

Until someone captured the king of this game—Chairman Pyeon Jae-ho—I wouldn’t be able to escape the chessboard.

If I wanted to survive and return home, I had no choice but to hold onto Shin Chi-woo’s hand.

I had wavered back and forth ever since the hotel, but finally, I made my decision.

Even if this choice would one day fill me with regret, for now, it was the best I could do.

I had to acknowledge that the man in front of me was my only lifeline.

With that realization came both relief and sorrow.

Even if Shin Chi-woo was deceiving me as well, I had no option but to follow him.

Still, I wanted to curse him at least once before I accepted it.

“…Fucking bastard.”

“I know.”

“You’re the worst… you’re truly awful….”

“Keep going.”

“Y-you… Ugh, forget it. I’ve said enough….”

The strange thing was, even as I insulted him, he didn’t get angry.

He simply watched me, his expression unreadable, as if he was allowing me to vent.

If anything, his face was filled with concern.

It was almost absurd.

“When the time is right, I’ll get you out. Just stay at the factory for now.”

“Why there of all places…?”

“It’s the safest option.”

“What do you mean?”

“Even Director Seo would agree that it’s the best choice.”

“What the hell does that mean…?”

He only smiled quietly at me, refusing to answer.

I stopped pushing him for explanations.

There was no point wasting energy on a battle I couldn’t win.

Instead, I flinched when I felt his fingers sweeping through my tangled hair, brushing it back from my forehead.

For a fleeting moment, it felt like we had known each other for a long time.

Not that it mattered now.

But still, being this close was uncomfortable.

Meeting his gaze at such an intimate distance was overwhelming.

I subtly pushed his arm away, signaling him to stop.

Shin Chi-woo withdrew his hand naturally, then changed the subject.

“The phone is untraceable. Keep it well hidden.”

“…Where’s my real one?”

“The chairman has it. He’s holding onto it in case Director Seo tries to contact you.”

At that, I squeezed my eyes shut.

I wished my phone had just been destroyed in the accident.

This was the worst possible outcome.

I had never stored anything dangerous or secretive on my phone, but still—everything about me was now exposed.

In today’s world, a phone wasn’t just a device.

It was practically another self.